pas vs throttle?

[dragonweaver]

I'm looking at an e-bike as a way to be more active while keeping it low impact. I'm in my 50s, 5'5" and live in TX. I want a low step-over as I'm not getting any younger and intend to keep riding for many years. Standing on my tip-toes is a no-no due to an injury, so something that's comfortable to stand flat-footed while waiting at the inevitable red lights / stop signs / road construction would be ideal. I'm looking at recreational riding, starting off by riding around the neighborhood and gradually working my way up to trails. I don't intend to ever do mountain biking or to use this as my commuter vehicle.

One thing I'm stuck on is whether to go pas only, or get a throttle. A throttle would let me get back home easier if my asthma starts kicking in while riding, so that's why I'm considering going that route.

As I understand it pas + throttle is an bike in Texas as long as throttle alone doesn't exceed 20 mph.

 

[Al P]

IMO, you would be better off with both. Although you can easily raise the PAS whenever you think you might need more assist, it is nice to have a throttle or booster for that extra burst of energy without having to change the PAS. Some have a push button arrangement but most have either a sprung twist grip or thumb lever, which is my favorite...easy on, easy off. The cost factor to have both is negligible if you can find a bike that otherwise has everything you require.

 

[J.R.]

You didn't mention range or budget. Check out BH Easy Motion Evo City Wave. I think it checks all your boxes, has throttle mode and torque sensing PAS. Includes a big battery to handle distances and hills. If you looked around, you might even find a discounted 2016 model.

https://emotionbikesusa.com/evo-city-wave/

 

[dragonweaver]

Range - I haven't thought about that much, seems like range depends on the level of assist. Hopefully the more I ride the less assist I'd need and therefore the range would increase. I don't plan to ever use it for a commute and it's highly unlikely I'll be riding it more than an hour or so at a time. Recreational use only.

Budget - The ones I've looked at are in the $2k-2500 range which seems reasonable.

Any thoughts on Shimano vs Bosch systems (sp?)? (know that I found a three-speed daunting, so I'd most likely find a comfortable gear and not shift much)

 

[J.R.]

Range - I haven't thought about that much, seems like range depends on the level of assist. Hopefully the more I ride the less assist I'd need and therefore the range would increase. I don't plan to ever use it for a commute and it's highly unlikely I'll be riding it more than an hour or so at a time. Recreational use only.

Budget - The ones I've looked at are in the $2k-2500 range which seems reasonable.

Any thoughts on Shimano vs Bosch systems (sp?)? (know that I found a three-speed daunting, so I'd most likely find a comfortable gear and not shift much)

If you don't want to shift, Bosch or any mid drive is out! Your budget would put most mid drives out of range. Poke around some of @Court's video reviews and see what you like. You can put search parameters in for type and price. The bike I noted above can be purchased from some online dealers for the price range you note. If you don't need more than 15 mile range (15 mph for an hour) you could save some on lower power and smaller battery.

 

[JRA]

Neither Bosch or Shimano offer a throttle option. Also if you are concerned about shifting you might want to get a hub motor bike instead of a mid drive as they are more forgiving about which gear you are in, especially if you have a throttle to bump up your momentum with. JR listed some good options and hopefully there is a dealer near enough to take advantage of them or something like them.

 

[Deleted member 803]

The e-city from Smart Motion is the perfect bike for you. Zippy, with full throttle, and a step-thru. Another very light easy to ride ebike is the Cortland S from Faraday. 20mph assist with no throttle, but easy step thru, simple controls, and much lighter than other eBikes,,, pretty too.